Eagle hires Jon Stavney as town manager

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EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado - During a special meeting Wednesday night, Eagle officials officially appointed former Mayor and current Eagle County Commissioner Jon Stavney as the community's new town manager effective June 5.

There was no suspense associated with the announcement, as the special meeting agenda stated the purpose of the special session was "Recommendation and actions concerning the employment of Jon Stavney for the position of town manager of Eagle."

Last week, manager search committee chairman Joe Knabel announced that Stavney was the top finalist for the job and since that time, the town board has been in negotiations with him to hammer out details of an employment contract. One of the key negotiation issues has been Stavney's current position.

Last November, Stavney was re-elected to his second term as Eagle county commissioner. He will resign that post effective July 1 and the Eagle County Democratic Party Vacancy Committee will select his replacement. An announcement regarding the commissioner opening and the application process for interested candidates will be made by the county Democratic Party officials.

Stavney will begin work with Eagle May 5. During May, 28-year town manager veteran Willy Powell will work with Stavney as part of the leadership transition plan. Stavney will take over as town manager on June 5. Until July 1, he will continue to serve as county commissioner as well as working for the town.

Eagle County Commissioner Sara Fisher commended the town board for choosing Stavney as the new manager and expressed the hope that both the county's interests and the town's interests will be best served by the two-month transition period.

In addition to the spelling out the dates of employment and the transition period length, Stavney's contract calls for his employment through April 2014 - the date of the next Eagle Town Board election. By statute, town officers must be re-appointed following each municipal election. His annual salary will by $120,000.

Eagle Town Board member Brandi Resa cast the sole dissenting vote for the three formal actions approved Tuesday night - acceptance of the employment contract, approval of the contract between the town of Eagle and Stavney and the formal appointment of Stavney. She said her votes reflected her discomfort with terms of the contract that call for the town manager to also serve as the town treasurer. Resa said that the combination of duties may prove to be the best practice for the town, but she could not vote in favor of the provision because she did not have enough information to make that decision. Resa said that while she was voting against his appointment, she wished Stavney good fortune in his new position.

Stavney thanked the board for the appointment and complimented the search committee's efforts.

"I think you ran a very involved and thorough vetting process," he said. "I am really delighted to have the opportunity to work with you, all of you. We have good things to do."

One of the first action items Stavney will face is finding the successor for another longtime Eagle official. Town Clerk and Finance Director Marilene Miller, who has been with the town of Eagle for 38 years, is also retiring this summer.